The Houseguest
by peytona05
Summary: In the midst of feeling he leads a thankless life, Danny is reminded just how much he's appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

Danny sat on the examination bed, his left wrist wrapped in a bandage and his right knee propped up and covered with an ice pack. With his right hand, he held a second ice pack over his eye. To look at him, you'd think he had been in a fight.

He'd been playing football with Kono.

Danny heard a tap on the open door and saw Steve standing there, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

In spite of himself, Danny had to laugh a little. "Go ahead. Get it out of your system."

Steve chuckled at the sight of his second-in-command. "Are you sure all of this happened while playing football?"

"Yeah, and let me tell you, Kono takes 'tackle' to an entirely new level. My wrist is sprained, I've got a black eye, and my knee - well, that's an aggravated high school injury."

"Let me see your eye."

Danny removed the ice pack to reveal the shiner that was paired with scratches down his cheek. "I landed in some gravel," he explained.

"And skidded, apparently," Steve quipped. "How's your vision?"

"A little blurry, but it's not too bad. You're a nice shade of purple right now, though." Danny placed the ice on his eye again.

Steve almost laughed as he caught himself checking the color of his skin, but stifled it when he saw the look on Danny's face. It was tired, distant…worried.

"Danno, that's not like you. You're usually more alert than to let Kono take you down like that. What happened?"

The question was met with silence. Then, "Kono and I met at the park after work for a quick game. We hadn't played in a while, and he wanted to. I was planning on exercising tonight anyway, so I agreed. But my mind wasn't really on the game, and he rushed me when I wasn't paying attention."

Steve asked, "What were you thinking about?"

"The rape/murder case we closed last week. We'd been looking for that creep for, what, six or eight months?"

"Closer to a year," Steve responded.

"That girl he killed…she finally got the justice she deserved. Her family…they got closure. And what do we get? No more thanks than the man on the moon. Not so much as 'Kiss my foot' or 'Have an apple.' Don't get me wrong, Steve. I like my job, I really do. But it's cases like this one that remind me it's a thankless life we lead. I don't mind the bad PR; I know it comes with the territory. You'd think I'd be used to the ungratefulness as well."

Steve's heart went out to his friend. He understood how Danny felt. Cops everywhere were placed on pedestals - not just in Hawaii - and people didn't understand that the officers were human like anyone else. There was a reason Steve was always quick to offer words of encouragement and affirmation to his men when they'd done a good job; he knew they needed to know they were appreciated just as much as the next person.

Steve opened his mouth to say so, but then he realized were no longer the only ones in the room. Kono stood in the doorway, and he also wore a sad expression on his face.

"I didn't expect you to come down in person, Boss. I just called to let you know what happened."

"No worries, Kono." Steve lightly placed his hand on Danny's shoulder. "You both know I take the well-being of my men seriously."

Looking to Danny, Kono asked, "How you feeling, bruddah?"

"Sore, but the doctor says I'll be as good as new in a few days. I just need to take it easy. Say, where have you been anyway? Last thing I knew, you were going to phone Steve, and he's been here for at least ten minutes."

"And who's your tag-along shadow?" Steve asked as he spied a small boy standing behind Kono.

"I've been sitting down the hall and around the corner with him. I saw him on my way back from the phone. See, his family lives on my street, so I know him. His father is in the military, and he's on the mainland for some routine maneuvers, and his mother's been expecting. She went into labor today."

Danny perked up at the news. "Hey, that's great. Has she had the baby yet? Was it a boy or a girl?"

Kono shook his head. "The baby didn't make it. The cord wrapped around its neck, and…" Kono's voice trailed off.

Silence hung in the air for a few moments before Steve asked, "How's the mother?"

The big man cleared his throat and blinked his eyes several times in an attempt to hide his emotions. "She lost a lot of blood. She…she didn't make it, either."

Silence once again overtook the room. Eventually Kono spoke again. "I should probably go call Sgt. Yamauchi, let him know what happened to his wife."

"What about the boy?" Danny asked. "He's not old enough to stay by himself. Is there a family on your street he could stay with until his dad comes home?"

"Well, there's a couple next door to him with a little boy about his age, but they're out of town. Other than them, there's nobody."

"Danno's right. He needs to stay with someone. And I know just the person." Steve looked at Danny, who, when he realized he was subtly being volunteered, shot a double take in his boss's direction.

"Who, me? Steve, I don't mind babysitting, but I'm not sure I'm the best candidate for it right now." He lifted his bandaged hand and pointed to his hurt knee.

Steve turned so that he was facing only Danny and spoke in a quiet voice. "Danno, you were just talking about the ungratefulness we see at the end of our cases. Nine times out of ten, we deal with adults that have forgotten the magic words. But I've yet to meet the child who hasn't been able to give my self-esteem a boost. And I think you could use one yourself right about now."

Danny raised his eyebrows as he sighed. He glanced at the boy, still hiding behind Kono. Looking back at Steve, Danny inquired, "What about work? Chin won't be back until the end of the week, and we don't know how soon the boy's father will be able to come home. There's too much going on right now for you and Kono to handle by yourselves."

Steve also looked in the direction of the little boy. "I guess you'll have to bring him with you. He can stay in the main office with Jenny while you're busy."

Danny slowly nodded. "Okay, Steve. He can stay with me."

Kono gently pulled the boy in front of him, and knelt down so he could see eye to eye with the child. Motioning to Danny, he said, "This is Mr. Williams. He's a friend of mine from work; he's a cop, just like me. You're going to stay with him until your daddy comes home. You'll like Mr. Williams."

The boy looked back and forth between Danny and Kono, coming across as a little unsure of the situation. Tears he'd cried over the loss of his mother and the baby had dried on his face, and his dark brown eyes were bloodshot.

Danny's heart went out to the boy. Surely his injuries didn't help to ease any fears the boy might have about staying with a stranger, cop or no cop.

He spoke gently to the boy. "Don't let the way I look worry you. Kono was just teaching me a couple things about football. I promise I don't usually look like this."

The boy stood silently, motionlessly watching Danny, who cleared his throat before speaking again. "What's your name?"

When the boy still didn't respond, Kono piped up, "It's nothing personal, Danny. Most kids are natural chatterboxes, but not him. He's probably the quietest kid I've ever met; he's a strange chicken, that one. His name is Daniel."

Danny once again looked at the boy. "Your name is Daniel? So is mine. My friends call me Danno; you can too, if you want."

Still no response. The boy continued to watch Danny as if he wasn't sure what to think of him.

Steve spoke to Kono. "Take Daniel home. Pack some clothes, some of his toys and books. Get him a bite to eat. We'll meet you at Danno's as soon as he's released."

Steve and Danny watched as Kono left with Daniel. Once they were alone, Steve immediately asked, "Did I hear Kono call him a 'strange chicken'? Do you know what that is?"

"It's not an expression I've heard before, but it sounds like an insult." Danny paused. "Do you remember a few months ago, Kono wanted to expand his American slang?"

Steve nodded. "Sure, you were teaching him."

"I think he meant to call Daniel an 'odd duck.'"

xXxXx

**A/N: For those of you familiar with the episode "Small Witness, Large Crime" (either S6 or S7), I'm doing something completely different with the idea of a little boy who refuses to talk. Also, Danny's "Have an apple" comment comes from Bing Crosby's movie **_**White Christmas**_**.**


	2. Chapter 2

Danny was released forty-five minutes later, and Steve drove his friend home. They pulled into the parking lot and spotted Kono's car parked close to the entrance of the apartment building.

Steve said, "I know you're worried about taking care of Daniel in your present condition, but you'll both be fine. Wait and see."

"It's not just that," Danny responded. "What if I can't get him to talk? Poor kid; his dad isn't home, he's just lost his mom and his baby brother or sister, and he's staying in the home of a complete stranger. Daniel needs to grieve...he needs to talk about what's happened."

"Let him get used to you, Danno. I'll bet you won't be able to get him to stop talking once he gets to know you. Now come on, let's get you both upstairs and settled in."

Danny carefully exited the car and limped over to where Kono and Daniel were waiting. However nervous he felt, he knew he had to put on a brave face for the boy. So he smiled as he asked Daniel if he was ready for "the adventure of a lifetime."

When he saw Daniel's silent stare, Danny glanced at Steve and sighed as he turned towards the building's entrance.

Even though Danny knew Steve was right in saying Daniel needed time, he still couldn't help but wonder what Daniel thought of him.

_God, I would love to get inside this boy's head. I'd love to find out what he's thinking._

xXxXx

The foursome reached Danny's apartment, and Steve immediately made the sandy-haired invalid sit in a chair and prop up his bad knee. From there, Danny directed Kono to the closet where he kept his extra sheets. Kono then made up the couch for Daniel to sleep on while Steve reheated some leftovers for Danny to eat.

Once the couch had been transformed into a bed, Danny motioned for Kono to come closer. In a quiet voice, he asked, "Have you had a chance to get word to his father?"

Kono nodded. "While Daniel was eating, I called the base from a nearby pay phone. I made sure they understood that he needs to come immediately, that Daniel's safe, and that if he has any questions, he can call me at either work or at home. I left both numbers."

"What's the father's name?"

"George Yamauchi…why?"

"Just curious." Danny rubbed the back of his neck with his good hand. "I wish you'd thought to leave my number, too. That way he'd be able to talk to Daniel. If he contacts you, how about do that, okay?"

"Sure thing, bruddah," Kono replied.

Steve entered the living room at that moment with Danny's supper. "Be careful, it's hot. Anything else before we go?"

Danny shook his head negatively. "No, I don't think so."

Steve smiled as he patted Danny's shoulder. "All right, then; call me if you need anything."

Danny nodded. " I will. See you in the morning."

He watched Steve and Kono leave, then turned his gaze to the boy. He picked up his spoon to eat the _saimin_ Steve had brought him, and thought, _Great. What do I do now?_

xXxXx

Daniel Yamauchi was eight years old, and he was scared. He'd been so excited about being a big brother, but he'd heard the doctor tell Kono that they'd lost the baby, and that his mom was gone, too. Daniel didn't understand where his mom and the baby were now, but Kono said they wouldn't be coming home. If that wasn't bad enough, his dad had just left a few days ago to practice some stuff for his job, and Daniel didn't know when he'd be home. So here he was, all alone at somebody else's house. Even though Kono had told him Mr. Williams was a cop and that he'd like him, all Daniel wanted was to be with his dad, in his own house, and sleeping in his own bed. More than anything, he wanted things to go back to normal.

He wondered if Mr. Williams knew when his dad was coming home. He wanted to ask, but like always, he was too shy to talk. So instead, Daniel reached into his bookbag and pulled out a small, light brown teddy bear.

xXxXx

Danny wasn't sure if he would ever actually admit it, but the way Daniel watched him made him a little nervous. He was anxious to ask the boy what he was thinking - or ask any question, for that matter - but based on his previous attempts at conversation, Danny really didn't think he'd get an answer.

Just then, Daniel retrieved a teddy bear from his bookbag. Danny watched for a few moments as the boy held his stuffed animal close, then realized that the bear might be a way of getting Daniel to talk.

"Hey, that's a great-looking bear. Does he have a name?"

No response.

"Where'd you get him? Was he a birthday present?"

More silence.

"Did your parents give him to you, or maybe your grandparents?"

Danny's question was once again answered with a silent stare. He pursed his lips as he tried to think of more conversation starters.

"Do you remember Kono telling you that we work together?" Danny asked as he continued eating the _saimin_. "How would you like to come with me to work tomorrow?"

Daniel only sat there, not talking or moving, just staring.

Danny finished his supper, then set his empty bowl on the small table next to his chair. He stood and walked over to the couch, remembering to not put weight on his hurt leg. Daniel looked up at him.

"Well, we both have to get up early in the morning we're going to make it to the office on time, so we should probably hit the sack. Grab your pajamas and your toothbrush, and I'll show you where you can change and brush your teeth."

xXxXx

Danny brushed his teeth right along with Daniel, and after the boy had changed into his pajamas, Danny took the dirty clothes and placed them in a plastic bag. He wanted to make sure they would both know which clothes were clean and which weren't.

Danny followed the boy back into the living room and watched as he lay down on the couch. He covered Daniel with a blanket then asked, "Would you like a glass of water?"

As he expected, Danny got no response. He tried not to become discouraged by the one-sided conversation. If only he knew how to help this boy!

"Good night, Daniel. My bedroom is the first door just past the bathroom. Come wake me up if you need something, okay?"

With one final "good night" smile, Danny left the room, cutting the light off as he went. He walked down the hall and partially closed his bedroom door. He changed out of his clothes and eased himself into bed. Danny reached over to switch off his bedside lamp, but stopped when he heard crying from the living room.

His heart broke for the boy. _Poor kid. He's lost half his family in one day, and his dad isn't here to help him cope. No wonder he's not talking; he probably doesn't know what to think, let alone what to say._

Danny was about to crawl out of bed to return to the living room when he heard a timid knock on his bedroom door. Daniel peeked through the crack, and upon seeing Danny motion for him to come in, he entered, carrying his teddy bear.

At the sight of seeing Daniel's tear-streaked face, Danny's heart broke all over again. He spoke quietly and gently.

"I know Kono said you don't talk a lot, but I sure do wish I could get you to say something. I promise I 'm a good listener. If you want to talk about what happened today, you can."

Daniel didn't say anything; he only continued to cry.

The cop smiled sadly. "You're hurting, son, and probably lonely too; I can understand that." He paused. "Would you like to sleep in here with me?"

Still not saying a word, Daniel walked around to the empty side of the bed and climbed in. When Danny was sure he was comfortable, he reached over and cut off the lamp.

His eyes soon adjusted to the darkness, and he looked over at Daniel. The boy was already fast asleep, his cheeks and eyelashes still wet with tears.

"It'll be okay, Daniel," he whispered. "Daddy will be home soon, and someday, everything will be okay."

As the words left his lips, Danny closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Danny awoke the next morning to the sound of his alarm going off, and as he stretched, he was greeted by stiff muscles and sore body parts. He took a look at his wrapped wrist and remembered his game of football and visit to the hospital the day before.

The fact that he'd gone to the hospital reminded him of his guest, and Danny looked over at the small body laying next to him, still asleep.

Danny ran the fingers of his good hand through the boy's black hair.

"Daniel," he said softly. "Daniel, it's time to wake up. Come on, buddy. Open your eyes."

A few seconds passed before Daniel's eyes flickered open. For a moment he looked as though he had no idea where he was, then reality set in as a look of recognition crossed his face.

"Good morning. Would you like some breakfast?" Danny asked. "I'm not much of a breakfast person myself, but I can fix you a couple eggs, and I've got some juice you can have."

The cop eased himself out of bed and groaned in pain as he stood. "I'm never playing football with Kono again."

He limped into the kitchen and reached into the refrigerator for a pair of eggs. He passed the coffee pot and cut it on as he walked to where he kept his frying pans.

As he placed the pan on the stove, Danny wondered how Daniel ate his eggs, or if he even liked them. He turned and saw the boy sitting at the kitchen table, still holding his teddy bear.

"How would you like your eggs - fried, scrambled, poached?"

The only response Danny received was a yawn.

_All right, then._ "Okay…well, why don't I scramble them for you? Go get dressed and put your pajamas away. I'll call you when breakfast is ready."

Just as quietly as ever, the boy stood to do as he was asked. Danny watched him leave the room and sighed as he thought, _This is going to be a long day._

He reached into a cabinet for a small bowl and cracked the eggs into it. Swiftly beating them with a whisk, Danny poured them into the pan. Next he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice. Reaching into another cabinet, Danny pulled out a plate and a glass for the boy and a coffee cup for himself.

He checked the eggs, then poured some juice into the glass. Glancing at the coffee pot, he saw that it wasn't quite ready yet. He went to the silverware drawer and pulled out a fork.

Five minutes later, Danny called Daniel back into the kitchen. As the boy sat down, Danny placed the plate, the fork, and the glass on the table.

"Be careful. The eggs are hot, so be sure you blow on them to cool them off," Danny stated as he walked over to the coffee pot to fill his cup. He then joined Daniel at the table.

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

No answer.

"Did you have any dreams last night?"

Silence.

"Yeah…me neither." Danny sat quietly as he sipped his coffee and watched the boy eat his breakfast.

Danny soon stood and walked to the sink where he placed his empty cup. He said, "I need to get dressed for work. When you're done eating, you can put your dishes in the sink, okay? I'll be ready in about fifteen minutes, then we'll leave."

xXxXx

Danny soon reentered the living room and saw Daniel waiting on the couch. "So…do you have any books or toys to take with you? I don't want you to get bored today."

He watched as Daniel reached into his bookbag, pulled out some papers and crayons, and put them back after Danny nodded his approval.

Danny couldn't help but smile at the sight of the crayons. He was taken back to his own childhood; he'd loved to draw as a kid. The crayons gave him an idea for another attempt to get Daniel to talk.

"I take it you like to draw."

Nothing.

"What's your favorite kind of picture to color?"

Still no response.

Danny sighed. "Maybe after supper tonight, we can draw together. Would you like that?"

For the first time since meeting Daniel, Danny thought he saw a hint of a smile cross the boy's face.

He smiled back as he briefly placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "We'll plan on doing that. Zip up your bag and let's go."

Living around the corner from where he'd met Kono, Danny hadn't bothered to drive the night before, so his car was still in the parking lot. As he made his way to the vehicle, with Daniel following along behind him, Danny's thoughts turned to that glimpse of a smile he saw on the boy's face.

_Maybe I'll get him to talk after all._

xXxXx

Until Mr. Williams had offered to draw with him, Daniel hadn't been really sure how the adult felt about having him around. Daniel had figured Mr. Williams was being nice because he had to be. But how many grownups offer to draw with a kid they hardly know, just to be nice?

He really wanted his mom and the baby to come back from wherever they were, and he also wanted his dad to come home again. But Mr. Williams wasn't so bad. Daniel kind of liked staying with him, and even though he was still too shy to talk, maybe he could find another way to tell Mr. Williams he wanted to be friends.

xXxXx

Danny and his tag-along shadow soon entered the front office for Five-O, and he greeted the secretary.

"Good morning, Jenny. Steve and Kono in yet?"

"They're both in Steve's office, waiting for you." Jenny responded. "Boy, I thought Kono was only joking about giving you a black eye. Those scratches on your cheek just make it look worse."

"Thanks, Jenny; I appreciate your sympathy," Danny said wryly. "Listen, did Steve fill you in on my…situation at home?" He turned so she could see Daniel standing behind him.

"Yes, he did. This is the boy that's staying with you?"

Danny nodded. "His name is Daniel Yamauchi, and he won't be in trouble. He's brought some things to keep himself entertained, and" - Danny lowered his voice - "so far he hasn't said a word."

He turned his gaze to the little boy. "Daniel, this is Miss Jenny. She's going to keep an eye on you while I'm working today. If you need anything, let her know, all right?"

Danny smiled and mouthed a quiet "thank you" to Jenny before going into Steve's office.

xXxXx

Steve and Kono both turned as Danny entered the room.

"Morning, Danno," Steve stated. "How are the injuries?"

"Well, they're not gone yet. I'm still pretty sore, but I'll survive. Kono, have you heard anything back from Sgt. Yamauchi?"

"Not so far. How's Daniel?"

"Quiet," Danny stated matter-of-factly. "I feel so bad for this kid; he ended up sharing my bed last night, and he cried himself to sleep. I wish I knew what I could do to help him."

Steve said, "Danno, you're giving him exactly what he needs right now-a place where he can feel safe and cared for until his father can come home again. I know it's not easy, but don't give up just yet. Keep trying to get him to open up to you."

Danny nodded. "Got it. So, what's on the agenda for today?"

Just as Steve opened his mouth to respond, his phone buzzed.

He punched the intercom button. "Yes, Jenny?"

"Telephone for Kono, Boss."

"Thanks, Jenny," the big man responded as he reached to take the call.


	4. Chapter 4

Danny stood silently as he listened to Kono's end of the conversation.

"This is Kono…Sgt. Yamauchi, I was hoping you'd call…Yeah, they both passed away yesterday…I'm sorry, I wish it was better news…No, Daniel's fine. He's staying with a friend of mine from work…Well, he's standing right here; would you like to talk to him?"

Kono covered the mouthpiece with his hand as he held the phone out for Danny. "It's Daniel's father," he whispered. "He wants to know how Daniel's doing."

Danny glanced at Steve as he took the phone from Kono. "Williams."

On the other end of the line, he heard a deep voice that was breaking with tears. "Mr. Williams, this is George Yamauchi. Kono said my son is staying with you."

"Yes, he is. I haven't been able to get Daniel to talk, but I'm sure he misses you."

Sgt. Yamauchi sighed. "I'm working on coming home in the next couple days. Listen, other than not talking - believe me, that's normal for him - how is he?"

Danny swallowed before answering. "He cried himself to sleep last night, Sergeant. But so far this morning, he's held himself together pretty well. Maybe…maybe you'd like to talk to him? He's right out front with our secretary."

There was a pause. "I don't think I should. If the circumstances were better, I would probably take you up on that offer. But if he's doing okay like you say he is, I don't wanna bring the tears back."

"I understand, sir," Danny replied. "Is there anything you'd like me to tell him?"

"Uh…yeah. Tell Daniel that I love him and that I'll be home soon."

Danny smiled sadly. "I'll do that, Sergeant. Oh, and Sergeant…I'm sorry for your loss."

"I appreciate that, Mr. Williams. I'll be in touch about how soon I'll be home."

"Let us know if there's anything else we can do," Danny offered.

He and the sergeant exchanged goodbyes, and Danny hung up the phone. He looked at Kono and Steve as he simply stated, "He should be home in a couple days."

xXxXx

At the end of the day, Danny was weary and aching all over. As he pulled on his jacket and switched off his office light, he asked Daniel if he was ready to go. He entered the front office to see the boy zipping up his book bag.

"How was he?" Danny asked Jenny.

"We got along fine. He was no trouble at all, just like you said." Jenny lowered her voice. "Danny, that phone call for Kono this morning - was it Daniel's father?"

Danny nodded and whispered, "He'll be home soon."

Jenny smiled. "Good. I'll see you in the morning."

"We'll be here. Daniel, grab your bag and your bear, and let's go."

On the ride home, Danny continued trying to engage his young charge in conversation, asking about what Daniel and Jenny had done for lunch and what kind of pictures he'd drawn, but no matter what Danny said, there was just no getting Daniel to talk. Finally, Danny had what he thought was a really good idea.

_Why didn't I think of this before?_ "Daniel, you look like you're old enough to know how to write. Since you won't talk, do you think you could write your answers on a piece of paper when I ask you a question?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Danny saw the boy reach into his book bag and pull out of a sheet of paper and a green crayon. Daniel wrote his answer and turned the paper so Danny could see the "yes" he'd written.

Danny breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Now, I've still got some _saimin_ at home we can have for supper, and after we eat, I'd really like to see the pictures you drew today. Then maybe we can draw together. Do you still want to do that?"

The boy smiled and printed another "yes."

Danny smiled back as he thought, _We're finally getting somewhere._

xXxXx

As he looked at the boy's drawings of various animals - mostly bears, dogs, and cows - Danny was impressed with Daniel's artistic ability. Daniel was very good, much better than Danny had ever been, and the cop couldn't help but wonder if it was simply natural talent or if someone had been teaching him.

He soon came across a picture of people: a man in a uniform, a woman holding a baby, and a small boy carrying a teddy bear.

"Daniel," Danny said gently, "is this your family?"

xXxXx

Daniel glanced at the drawing, then pulled it away from Mr. Williams. He'd been working on this one before the left the office and didn't have time to write any names on it. He picked up a black crayon and scrawled, "Daddy," "Mommy and baby," and "Me" under each person.

Then on a blank piece of paper he wrote, "The doctor said my mom went away. When is she coming back?"

xXxXx

Danny's heart broke as he read what had been written. He hesitated before responding, "I'm sorry, son, but your mother won't be coming back. When she had the baby yesterday, it was too hard on her body - it was too painful - and both your mother and the baby…" He paused, unsure as to whether or not he'd be able to finish the sentence. "They both…died."

There, he'd said it.

Tears began to fall from the boy's eyes as he wrote, "What about Daddy?"

"Soon," Danny answered. "Daddy will be home soon, and he loves you very much."

The pair didn't get any coloring done that evening. They just sat on the couch together, Daniel crying his heart out, and Danny doing his best to comfort the child.

xXxXx

Daniel once again cried himself to sleep, and after covering the boy with a blanket, Danny decided to take a quick shower.

As the warm water ran over his skin, Danny's thoughts went back to the boy. _He's so young, and his entire world has been ripped apart. He's not even going to be able to begin to recover until his father comes home. I feel so helpless…I wish there was something else I could do._

Danny soon stepped out of the shower, and as he stood in front of the mirror, towel-drying his hair, he heard his telephone ring. Wrapping the towel around his waist, Danny hurried out of the bathroom to answer the phone.

"Williams," he said as he placed the receiver against his ear.

"Mr. Williams, this is George Yamauchi. I just spoke with Kono, and he gave me your phone number. Was that all right? I hope I didn't wake you."

"No, it's fine. I'm glad you called. How are you holding up?"

"About as well as can be expected, I guess. I'll feel better once I'm back with my son."

"Do you know yet when that will be?" Danny wanted to know.

"I was able to make a last minute reservation on a plane that leaves early tomorrow morning. Where can I pick up Daniel?"

"If you'd like, I can bring him to you. What time does your plane land?"

"Thanks, but I'd rather surprise him, Mr. Williams."

Danny gave Sgt. Yamauchi the address for the Iolani Palace, then said, "You've lost a lot in the last twenty-four hours, but I hope you know what a good boy you have waiting for you. He hasn't been any trouble at all."

"Yeah…yeah, I do know that. And I appreciate you looking after him. It means a lot."

"You're welcome, Sergeant. We'll see you tomorrow."

xXxXx

Danny awoke the next morning to find he was no longer alone. At some point during the night, Daniel had woken up and made his way into Danny's bedroom. The adult ran his fingers through Daniel's hair, and moments later, the boy's eyes opened.

"You ready for another day at the office?" Danny inquired.

He knew he had to be careful not to say anything about Sgt. Yamauchi's arrival, but then Danny realized he needed to make sure Daniel had all of his things with him at the office today.

"Daniel, how are you on clean clothes?"

The pair went into the living room and looked in the boy's overnight bag. As Danny had hoped, there was only one more set of unworn clothes. He handed them to Daniel and said, "Here, go change into these. We'll take your dirty clothes with us, and see about going by a laundry mat after work, okay?"

Danny hated fibbing about the laundry mat, but off the top of his head, he knew of no other way to make sure Daniel's things were all there when his father picked him up.

After repeating the procedure from the day before, the twosome headed off, neither realizing they would both remember the coming morning for years to come.


	5. Epilogue

After leaving Daniel in Jenny's custody, Danny knocked on Steve's door and entered when he heard his boss call out a greeting.

Danny shut the door behind him, then stated, "I heard from the boy's father last night. He'll be here at some point this morning to pick Daniel up."

"Good, Danno. I'm glad to hear it. How's Daniel?"

"He's still not talking, but he's at least writing notes, letting me know what he wants."

"And how about you? You doing all right?" Steve asked.

Danny nodded. "My face still looks horrible and the shiner still hurts, but the rest of my injuries are feeling better."

"How's your self-esteem?"

Danny smiled as he thought of Daniel grinning at him the night before. "I think maybe it's doing better too."

xXxXx

As time does for children, the morning passed slowly for Daniel. Eventually, he decided he needed to use the bathroom. He quickly finished the picture he was drawing, then wrote a note for Miss Jenny.

xXxXx

Jenny smiled as she read the little boy's scribbled handwriting. Out of habit, she reached under her desk and picked up her pocketbook as she said, "That's not a problem at all. Come on, sweetheart."

She took Daniel by the hand and led him down the hall. As she waited outside the men's room, the elevator doors opened and out stepped a young man in a military uniform.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said. "I'm looking for Mr. Williams' office. Is this the right floor?"

"Yes, at the end of the hall." Jenny pointed, then realized who she was talking to. "Are you Daniel's father?"

The young man sadly smiled. "Yes, ma'am. I take it you've met my son?" Just then Daniel exited the men's room. He saw his father standing there and immediately tears filled his eyes.

"Hello, son," Sgt. Yamauchi said softly. He knelt down as Daniel ran towards him, and wrapped his arms around his child as the boy began to cry.

xXxXx

Daniel could hardly believe his eyes! Mr. Williams had just told him the night before that his dad would be home soon, and here he was. He wrapped his arms around his father's neck and held on for dear life.

Tears ran down his cheeks, and between sobs, Daniel pleaded, "Daddy, please don't leave me like Mommy did."

xXxXx

Jenny wiped a tear from her eye even as she smiled. Hurrying down the hall, the secretary burst into the hall, calling for Kono, Steve, and Danny.

"He's here!" she exclaimed. "Daniel's father is home!"

xXxXx

The three men came from their respective offices and followed Jenny into the hallway, where Daniel, upon seeing Danny, broke into a tearful grin.

"Mr. Williams!" he cried. "Mr. Williams, Daddy's home!"

xXxXx

Danny was so surprised to hear the boy talk that for a moment he was unable to respond. As Sgt. Yamauchi stood to his full height, Danny found his voice and stepped forward. Extending his hand, Danny stated, "Welcome home, Sergeant."

"Thank you. It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Williams. Uh…may I ask about your black eye?"

Danny chuckled as he remembered his less-than-healthy appearance. "Football game…It got a little out of hand. I look worse than I feel."

Danny then introduced Steve, and the adults continued to talk for another few minutes. Sgt. Yamauchi soon said, "We should probably be on our way. Daniel, go get your things."

Jenny, needing to return to her desk, went with the boy to the office. While Daniel was gone, Danny said, "His book bag is the office, but his dirty clothes are in my car. I'll walk you down."

Daniel reappeared at that moment, carrying his book bag and his bear. With his free hand, he took hold of one of his father's hands.

As Danny and the Yamauchis made their way to the parking lot, Daniel looked at his father and said, "Daddy, guess what? Mr. Williams is a Daniel, just like me." He then turned his gaze to the cop and spoke again, not giving his father a chance to respond. "My bear didn't have a name before, but I know what I want to call him now. Can I name him after you?"

Danny's heart swelled with, if it was possible, a humble pride. He remembered what Steve had said about children and boosts in self-esteem. Smiling at the boy, Danny replied, "Daniel, you can call him whatever you want."

The trio reached Danny's car, and without warning, Daniel wrapped his arms around Danny's waist.

"_Mahalo_ for letting me stay with you," he whispered. "I love you, Danno."

Danny returned the embrace. "You're welcome, son."

After handing over Daniel's clothes and watching the Yamauchis leave in a taxi, Danny returned to his office. He was about to sit at his desk when Steve walked in and handed him a sheet of paper.

"Jenny said Daniel left this behind. I thought you'd like to have it."

Danny accepted the folded paper and opened it to see a drawing of two people-a small boy holding a teddy bear and a man wearing a badge. The were labeled "Me" and "Danny."

Danny looked at his boss and smiled. "You asked about my self-esteem earlier. It's doing a lot better."

xXxXx

Daniel rode home with his father in silence, hoping that Mr. Williams would like the picture he'd drawn. Daniel knew he'd never forget the cop; hopefully the picture would help Mr. Williams remember Daniel.


End file.
